accelerator

American  

[ak-sel-uh-rey-ter] / ækˈsɛl əˌreɪ tər /

noun

1. a person or thing that accelerates.

2. Automotive. a device, usually operated by the foot, for controlling the speed of an engine.

3. British. any two- or three-wheeled motor vehicle, as a motorcycle or motor scooter.

4. Photography. a chemical, usually an alkali, added to a developer to increase the rate of development.

5. Also called accelerant.  Chemistry. any substance that increases the speed of a chemical change, as one that increases the rate of vulcanization of rubber or that hastens the setting of concrete, mortar, plaster, or the like.

6. Anatomy, Physiology. any muscle, nerve, or activating substance that quickens a movement.

7. Also called particle accelerator.  Also called atom smasher.  Physics. an electrostatic or electromagnetic device, as a cyclotron, that produces high-energy particles and focuses them on a target.

8. Economics. acceleration coefficient.

9. Business. an enterprise that provides investment funding and short, fixed-duration mentoring and education programs to a select group of startups that apply for this, including access to networking, strategy coaching, collaborative workspace, etc.

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accelerator British  

/ ækˈsɛləˌreɪtə /

noun

1. a device for increasing speed, esp a pedal for controlling the fuel intake in a motor vehicle; throttle

2. Also called (not in technical usage): atom smasher.  physics a machine for increasing the kinetic energy of subatomic particles or atomic nuclei and focusing them on a target

3. chem a substance that increases the speed of a chemical reaction, esp one that increases the rate of vulcanization of rubber, the rate of development in photography, the rate of setting of synthetic resins, or the rate of setting of concrete; catalyst

4. economics (in an economy) the relationship between the rate of change in output or sales and the consequent change in the level of investment

5. anatomy a muscle or nerve that increases the rate of a function

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Etymology

Origin of accelerator

First recorded in 1605–15 and in 1930–35 accelerator for def. 7; accelerate + -or ²

Example Sentences

They developed a device to prevent the hair loss that often comes with chemotherapy, spun Luminate out in 2021 and took the company through Y Combinator’s accelerator program the same year.

From The Wall Street Journal

Measuring 2x4, the brick itself contains sensors, lights, a small sound synthesiser, an accelerator and a custom-made silicon chip enabling it to detect movement and react to it.

From BBC

The first four sets of their quarter-final were shared before Scotland's Anderson, 55, stepped on the accelerator - winning nine of the next 10 legs to secure a convincing victory.

From BBC

Located near Geneva on the border between Switzerland and France, it is home to the LHC, a 27-kilometer-long underground ring accelerator.

From Science Daily

Ali Partovi, who runs a San Francisco venture firm and startup accelerator called Neo, has spent years investing in young founders, often visiting college campuses to scout promising talent.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• particle accelerator